The Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, has stated that a Buddhist monk is fully entitled to wear his robes when being taken out of prison, and that this right will remain in force unless the relevant Buddhist chapter instructs otherwise.The Minister disclosed this while making a special statement to the media on the report of a special committee appointed to update the rules and standing orders formulated under the Prisons Ordinance.He also said that, based on the recommendations of the committee tasked with updating prison regulations, amendments had been proposed to Standing Order 356, introducing a new provision designated 356(a), as well as an interim directive to amend Departmental Order 550.

He further stated that the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons had been instructed to amend the prison standing orders in accordance with the recommendations. Elaborating further, the Minister of Justice said:“An amendment has been proposed to Prison Standing Order 356 by introducing a new provision, 356(a), and an interim directive has also been proposed to amend Departmental Order 550.Accordingly, when a Buddhist monk is imprisoned as an inmate, the Commissioner General of Prisons has been given a period of 10 days to notify the Department of Buddhist Affairs regarding the removal of the clothing the inmate had been wearing until then, and to take action accordingly.

If a member of the clergy belonging to another religion is imprisoned, these provisions must be suitably amended and applied to that person.Furthermore, a new provision will be added through an amendment to Standing Order 550.Accordingly, a Buddhist monk will be granted full permission to wear his robes when being taken outside the prison as an inmate.This permission will remain in force until a notification is received from the Buddhist chapter to which the monk belongs instructing that he should not do so.

These are the two main elements of the proposed amendments. The interim committee report and a letter concerning this matter have been sent to the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons.Accordingly, instructions have been issued to amend the existing standing orders in force and revise the prison standing orders in line with the recommendations,” he concluded.